1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic treatment device and an ultrasonic treatment apparatus that are able to generate ultrasonic vibration for enabling treatment on a living tissue using such ultrasonic vibration.
2. Related Art
Now, ultrasonic treatment apparatuses have become a vital requirement as one of medical devices in medical wards for surgeries.
The ultrasonic treatment apparatuses include those of various types as described below. Such examples include one that is known from Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2002-224133. This literature discloses an ultrasonic treatment device in which ultrasonic vibration, generated with an ultrasonic transducer, is transmitted to a probe to allow a treatment member, mounted onto a distal end of the probe, to execute a treatment on a living tissue utilizing the ultrasonic vibration. The ultrasonic treatment device is comprised of a main unit, a probe unit and a transducer unit, all of which are mounted to be detachable from among three component parts.
Among these, the main unit is comprised of an operational main part, an inner sheath to which a vibration transmitting member is inserted when the probe unit is fitted to the operational main part, a jaw located on a distal end of the inner sheath in face-to-face relationship with a distal end of the vibration transmitting member, an operational force transfer member for rotating the jaw that operates an operating portion disposed on the operational main part, and an outer sheath by which the operational force transfer member and the inner sheath are covered. The operational main part, the inner sheath, the outer sheath and the operational force transfer member, which are formed in a substantially integrated fashion.
With such a case of the ultrasonic treatment device, the probe unit and the transducer unit are separated from the main unit, after use, for cleaning various units. For example, in cases where filths, such as blood or the like, intrude a space between the inner sheath and the outer sheath of the main unit, using implements, such as special cleaning device and a syringe or the like, causes a cleaning liquid to burst into the space between the inner sheath and the outer sheath, thereby letting out the filths from between the inner sheath and the outer sheath for cleaning.
Since the main unit of the ultrasonic treatment device, disclosed in the above patent literature, is formed in the substantially integrated fashion, it takes time when cleaning the inner sheath, the outer sheath and the operational force transfer member. For instance, when removing the filths, intruded to between the inner sheath and the outer sheath, it is hard for the brush or the like to be inserted to the narrow space to be brought into direct contact with the filths and, hence, not only it takes a long time but also a need arises for the special cleaning device.
Further, probabilities occur with the occurrence of damage only to the outer sheath due to frequent use of the ultrasonic treatment device. In such cases, a need arises for the main unit to be replaced in its entirety. The reason comes from the fact that the operational main part, the inner sheath, the outer sheath and the operational force transfer member are formed in the substantially integrated fashion and it becomes hard to disassemble these component parts. Therefore, even if a need arises for replacing only the outer sheath of the main unit, an issue has arisen with an increase in cost for replacement.